Jess of the Rebel Trail eBook

“Oh, some family trouble, I guess. Her
folks wanted her to marry a man she had no use for.
That’s him standing there on the wharf now.”

“Ye don’t tell!” The captain turned
his head and looked shoreward. “Wonder
why he isn’t helpin’ to search fer his
sweetheart. He seems to be mighty cool about
the affair.”

“Oh, he’s afraid of soiling his hands
and clothes.” The man spoke in a low voice,
for he was now close alongside. “He’s
Lord Something-or-Other’s son, an’ wouldn’t
think of associating with such common cusses as us.
He belongs to the upper-crust, doncher-know.”
The man smiled, and his companions grinned.
It was quite evident that they were all familiar with
the story.

“An’ he wants her to marry that?”
and the captain motioned toward the wharf.

“Sure. Is it any wonder she’d want
to commit suicide? She’d be a fool if
she wouldn’t. But, there, we must get back
to work. We just dropped alongside, thinking
ye might have seen her drifting around, last night,
and heard a scream or a splash.”

“What makes ye think it was around here she
done the deed?” the captain asked.

“Because her folks have their summer house a
short distance below the wharf, and the boat which
was found drifting in South Bay belongs to Bill Sanson
up on the hill. Aren’t they reasons enough?”

“It does look reasonable,” the captain
acknowledged. “I s’pose her pa an’
ma are about crazy over her disappearance. I
know I should be about Flo.”

“Her father isn’t home,” the man
explained. “He’s away somewhere on
a business trip. As for her mother, well——­”
He paused, pulled a plug of tobacco out of his pocket,
and bit off a chew. Then he turned to his companions.
“Come, boys, suppose we get back? We’ve
wasted too much time already.”

The captain watched them as they rowed away, and his
eyes twinkled with merriment. He was smiling
when he returned to the cabin. The girl there
was smiling, too, although it was easy to tell that
she had been greatly agitated.

“I suppose I should,” the girl thoughtfully
replied. “But under the circumstances
I can’t. Don’t you remember what
that man told you?”

“About you marryin’ that Lord Fiddlesticks?”

“Yes, though that is not his name.”

“I know it isn’t, but it doesn’t
matter. But, thar, I must take some grub to
Eben. He’ll be down here soon, I’m
sartin, if I don’t head him off. Thar’s
nuthin’ like grub to hold that boy in check.
I’ve got to go ashore this mornin’ to
git some tea. Eben fergot all about it last
night.”